Initiatives
One of HIMSS’s priorities is improving maternal health and supporting the elimination of maternal health disparities using health information and technology. Since the US often has the highest maternal mortality rates compared to similarly wealthy countries, HIMSS focuses on influencing public policy at all levels of government (federal, state, tribal, local, and territorial) to address the US maternal mortality and morbidity crisis.
Health equity is essential to the state, local, and congressional public policy discussion because African American, Alaskan Native/indigenous American women are more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes. Digital health solutions and improvements in maternal health reporting, data collection and expanded telehealth and remote patient monitoring can be vital to improving maternal health outcomes.
Visit the Global Health Equity Week page as well as IHE's Path to Production.
Legislative Action Center
Connect with your state legislators, office of the governor, health commissioners, Medicaid directors, and other community health stakeholders to learn more about opportunities to advance RPM, Telehealth, electronic reporting, wearables, and interoperability across the spectrum of care
Advocate for H.R.959, the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021
- Integrated telehealth models in maternity care services.
- Grants to expand the use of technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity models for pregnant and postpartum individuals.
- Grants to promote equity in maternal health outcomes through digital tools.
- Funding for data collection, surveillance, and research on maternal health outcomes during the COVID–19 public health emergency.
Protect Maternal Health - Urge your Governor and State Medicaid Director to Leverage Information and Technology to Reduce Maternal Mortality!
- Write to your Governors and State Medicaid Director to improve maternal health through information and technology in your state/territory